Epiphany
by Owlmoose77
Summary: This is another vignette I wrote after reading Chapter 223 and before I read 224. This is what I envisioned (faster that how it would really happen) the direction the story could have gone. There are no lemons or anything - leave that to the pros! I'm too lazy and inexperienced to write chapters and my punctuation and paragraph timing are like my rythmn (bad! LOL)
**Hi, I have tried to put a scene break in this to make it more readable but the editing is challenging in doc manager!**

 **Sorry but I couldn't make this look better and in word on my pc everything looked fine and transferring from my docs to this .. Well as you can see it's not perfect. I know a wannabe writer shouldn't blame the tools.**

EPIPHANY

SCENE 1

No way! Kyoko started in disbelief as the person most in her thoughts manifested himself in solid form, directly before her in silhouette.

"Corn?" She whispered in awe, as the apparition silently opened its arms. As recognition set in, Kyoko's expression morphed into a combination of pain and relief as she launched herself from the park bench into Ren's enveloping warmth and promptly broke into heartbreaking tears.

Ren's hand cupped the back of her head protectively while pressing her sobbing face into his chest."Sshhhh, Kyoko, its ok!" Ren breathed into her hair as he rocked her gently while, after hours of withholding her emotions, she indulged herself in uncontrollable crying, smearing tears and snot as she gasped and hiccupped into his shirt.

"Corn! She said I never **existed,** that I'd never even been born!" She garbled, her emotional tension easing as she inhaled deeply, sensing a particularly familiar scent that made her feel safe.

"I thought I could pretend that she could love me, but she said she'd never even had a child! Why won't she recognize me, Corn? Why, no matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried she wouldn't accept me? What did I do?"

Kyoko looked desperately up into Ren's eyes, showing all her hurt, pain and confusion.

He melted empathically and sighed. "What do I say?" He thought, frustrated. Myriad emotions welled up and threatened to overwhelm him while he struggled in vain to frame a decent response. He decided to remain silent for the time being.

Glancing instinctively at Rick's watch he was thankful that it was again on his left wrist, the snug pressure of its band was still a reminder not to lose control. That meant not to act out on his desire to fully embrace the girl he loved, but to just let her vent her grief unreservedly without the interruption of his own needs and let her issues take precedence as she deserved. He knew, even as he fought the impulse to lift Kyoko's chin and kiss her, that she was vulnerable and wouldn't respond appropriately, so he patiently held her until she spent her tears and they were both rational again.

Ren also needed to calm down as he coaxed her back to the bench. The darkness concealed his true identity and he made sure they remained in the shadows to keep it that way. Hugging Kyoko firmly, with her head tucked under his chin, he tried to reassure her that she was safe and urged her to calm down. Ren tightly closed his eyes and grimaced with clenched teeth and swallowed down bitter rage at Saena for causing so much grief to his Kyoko.

Ren pulled himself together with his chin resting on the top of her head looking woefully into the darkness and sat quietly with a forlorn Kyoko on his lap hushing and rocking her like a child until her involuntary sobbing slowed and she caught her breath.

Snuggling into him, she relaxed, took one last deep shuddering breath and breathed in the comforting essence of Ren and fell into an exhausted sleep. She was quiet except for the erratic hiccups that lingered after her crying jag.

-SCENE 2-

With one arm around Kyoko, Ren reached into his pocket for his phone with the other, and called the cab that had been waiting around the corner for him. Moments later, he gave the cabbie an address as he grimly settled in the back seat with deeply sleeping Kyoko.

Ren exited the elevator with Kyoko in his arms princess style. She stirred, and murmured in her sleep. Kissing the top of her head, he held her tightly. "Kyoko, shhh - go back to sleep. You're safe with me!"

He struggled one handed with the apartment keys and kneed open the door as he sidled in and shouldered it closed. Not bothering to take off his shoes, he walked down the hallway to the guest room and gently laid her on the bed. Standing above her silently, he watched her sleep for a moment before pulling the blankets over her shoulders.

After he closed the door of the bedroom quietly behind him, he made his way to the kitchen, opened a cabinet and pulled out a glass. Another cabinet he opened revealed a variety of high end single malt scotch, reaching up; he chose the Lagavulin and poured an ounce thankful that he hadn't consumed all of them while sulking about his Katsuki love block. Sipping it neat, he let the warmth roll on his tongue before swallowing the smoky smoothness. Leaning heavily on the counter, his nerves immediately settled.

"Corn! Corn! Please come, I need you!"

Ren started out of his trance when he heard the muffled whimpering and rushed back to the guest room. Kyoko, restlessly dreaming, cried and implored. "Corn!" Ren stood there helplessly, and then made a decision. Not wanting to wake her while she sorted herself out, he walked around to the other side of the bed, slowly pulled off his shoes, got under the covers and fiercely pulled Kyoko to him. Hushing her again, he spoke soft comforting nonsense to her as she relaxed into his embrace and he drifted off as well, Kyoko's sweet scent and nearness lulling him into oblivion.

-SCENE 3-

It was dark in the room with a small sliver of light shining through a small gap in the drawn curtains. Ren didn't know the time but he was awake and the small warm body pressed tightly against him began to stir. A tousled mop of auburn hair tickled his nose and he looked down into Kyoko's drowsy face, her eyes were still red and swollen from crying. She was beautiful! Those amber eyes widened considerably as she realized where she was and who she was with.

"Tsuruga-San! Gomen! How did I get here? I'm so sorry, why didn't you take me back to the doraima I didn't mean to bother you!" Kyoko scrambled away from Ren and sat up wiping the sleep and dried tears from her eyes.

Ren sat up also, not taking his eyes off her. "Kyoko, you ought to know by now, that you aren't, and haven't been, a bother to me for a very long time! Cut it out with the apologies and listen to me!" Ren hurt by her withdrawal, exploded impatiently.

"What is important is that you needed to be alone with some support, so I took you here. I couldn't think of anyone except myself who could listen to you without interruption. Lorry has notified everyone and they have given us the day off to help you get through this."

Kyoko interrupted. "Wh..H...What do you know? How do you know about...?"

Ren stalled her question raising his hand. "Listen, Kyoko, I know a lot more than you think and you may despise me for not telling you sooner, but I'm your Corn!" He blurted out the words in a rush, more in Kyoko's style than his, and wincing with regret at his lapse in judgement, he muttered to himself how he was starting to behave like her.

"That's why I know how you feel after seeing your Mom on TV. I'm sorry I've hidden who I really am. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I've known who you were all along - ever since you dropped that blue stone in the stairwell. I confirmed to myself that it was you when I asked if you were from Kyoto! God, you'd changed so much in ten years I couldn't believe it! You were still you, but with way more attitude and spunk!"

He chuckled in reminiscence, then paused, reached out and smoothed the hair away from her face, looking into her eyes intently. "Are you feeling a little better now, Kyoko-Chan?" He asked huskily, desperately hoping to distract her from freaking out at his impromptu reveal.

Kyoko, hearing Ren's voice speak her name so intimately, felt her heart skip a beat and she turned away her face, which had blossomed into a deep shade of red. "Yes Tsuruga-San, thanks to you!"

Ren looked down, with a stark unfocused expression. "Kyoko, didn't you hear me? I'm Corn, or rather; it's Kuon, Kuon Hizuri. I'm Kuu's son." He said stonily, bracing himself. His jaw was rigid while the pit of his stomach lurched in dreaded anticipation of Kyoko's response.

"I heard you, Corn." Kyoko said sombrely. She paused and took a breath. "I'm still trying to process what you just said." She covered her face with her hands, and breathed in heavily. "I'm not mad, but I still want to know why you didn't tell me sooner." Kyoko, said reproachfully.

Ren's brows furrowed. "It...it's a long story, and I'm not sure if I should tell you, at least until the issues with your mom are sorted out. This isn't about me right now. I've already told you more than I should under these circumstances. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes I'm okay, Re.. I mean Kuon, Corn... Oh! I don't know what to call you!"

"You can call me your boyfriend?" Ren murmured wistfully under his breath.

"Eh? What did you say? I didn't hear you." Kyoko's eyebrows rose up, curious.

"Never mind!" Replied a blushing, Ren. "Please call me Kuon, at least in private and please, please drop any honorifics, you know our relationship is more than senpai and kohai now, right?"

Ren's eyes bored into Kyoko's and he grabbed her hand, entwined their fingers and encased them with his other hand. He willed her to understand him without further explanation. Her trust and acceptance of him had advanced further than he had ever could have hoped and that knowledge gave him the courage to confess, albeit mixed in with the reassurance. He still didn't want to frighten her away; as she was still pretty dense, so outright telling her could send her running.

"Kyoko, you know that I want you to be ok, don't you? To help you I need you to know that even though your mother appears not to care, you must be made aware that you have so many other people who do love you. Tell me, Kyoko, who are they? I want YOU to list them for me, that way I'll know you get it! C'mon, Kyoko tell me!" He urged.

Kyoko looked up and knitted her brows, making a facial contortion like someone getting their teeth pulled without an anesthetic. "I can't...!"

"Yes you can! I'll start...Lory and Sawara-San ..." Ren nudged her shoulder with his to spur her on and Kyoko ducked her head as her eyes glistened with tears as she emotionally took over the list.

"MMMoko-San, Maria-chan, Yashiro-San..."

"That's right! And your landlord boss and his wife, heh, he's a scary guy isn't he? Just as if he were your own Dad!" Ren chuckled and then said." I know another man who has adopted you as his own son. Ha!" Ren laughed ruefully. "...my own Dad adores you...and I know for certain, when my Mom meets you she'll totally love you too!" He paused while gathering courage. "And there's one more person who cares about you so much, Kyoko!" Ren rested his forehead against Kyoko's and stared earnestly into her eyes. "Can you not guess who that is?"

Kyoko backed up, shifted her eyes away and shook her head vigorously.

"It's me, Kyoko! Me...I love you!" Kyoko narrowed her eyes incredulously and glared at Ren, denial and shock apparent in her features. She shoved a hand over Ren's mouth and pushed. "No! Don't say another word! ... I don't believe you! How could someone as beautiful and famous as you love me? I know you care about me as a kohai but you're just saying that because you think it will make me feel better! Well think again! Those are just words you would use with any girl to distract them!" Shocked and caught off guard by Ren's confession, Kyoko was clearly fuelling a building anger sprung from the hurt her mother had caused last night. All her self-doubt was pouring out and venting like a geyser.

Ren grabbed her by the shoulders and lightly shook her. "Shut up, Baka! And let me say what I want. You always cut me short when I start to say something nice or compliment you! I've tried to tell you numerous times that you were beautiful but you just ignore me and change the subject. I had to say it while acting as a brother, hoping you'd know it was really me talking to you but you just didn't get it! I've been so jealous of That Guy, and then Kajima, and just when I thought I'd taken care of that worry, along came Murasame! God, Kyoko, don't you realize you can't even go down a street by yourself without some guy looking at you or trying to pick you up. Don't you understand that Sho just wanted you to think you were plain and boring to demoralize you and then monopolize you? But he didn't realize until it was too late that you are so much more desirable when you work and express for yourself! Sho doesn't realize that he can't have you be both a doormat and the strong, beautiful, extremely cute, expressive, vivacious, wonderful actress that you are at the same time. Clearly, who you are now is infinitely better. But, in order to get you back, I don't doubt he will try to undermine that new confidence you've acquired and manipulate you again! I know I'm not any better than him, after that night in the hotel room, but you popping up in the car with Sho in the parkade when you'd always been telling me you hate him... Well I had a lot of time for my anger and frustration to build up before you came back that evening and I forgot myself, or rather I let the real me, Kuon, take over. I'm sorry for that behaviour, Kyoko." Ren smiled regretfully. "But I'm not sorry for the outcome!" A little of the Emperor gleamed in his gaze as Ren teasingly leered at her.

Kyoko flushed with self-conscious embarrassment as she recalled the event. "Oh God! Don't remind me of that night or I'll die!"

Ren interjected. "I loved it, Kyoko! You finally acknowledged me as a guy! I know you were acting, but it was great how you let go of your inhibitions to do it! You brought me back into character when I was really losing it. I'll always be grateful to you for that moment in more ways than you can imagine!"

Kyoko looked up, incredulous.

"You really don't know how brilliant you are, do you? You are a natural actress Kyoko. Maybe it's from that strong survival instinct you've had since you were little! Your sense of imagination must have been a diversion from your pain growing up. All I know is that you have amazed me from the moment I first met you. Can I please be the one you choose to help you be happy?" Ren turned on his full level puppy dog expression and Kyoko caved.

Turning red as beet she ducked her head and nodded. "I'm so glad you're my Corn! I care about you too, Ren, I mean Kuon! I have since we were little! You really helped me get through some difficult times and I held on to you through that stone for 10 years! I never thought I'd meet you again! It's funny but sometimes the things you really want are right in front of you, and until you're ready you don't see them. After I met you again as Corn in Guam, the stone wasn't enough anymore, I missed you so much! I still have a ways to go for self-confidence but you've helped me realize all that I have gained till now. That brat Sho!" Kyoko's aura began to darken as his name passed through her lips, "has never supported me and I don't understand why I ever thought I loved him. I guess it was because all that I'd ever known was the Ryokan discipline and his derogatory remarks and I didn't know any better. Thank you, Kuon for helping me to recognize my strength to stand alone!"

Ren looked at Kyoko earnestly. "You don't have to be alone, Kyoko, I'll be by your side if you'll have me! I've wanted to be more than just friends for a long time now. I know it's a lot to take in and I promise I won't rush you, because, Kyoko, I want us to last forever!

"You know, Kuon, I think you've always been by my side since we first met. There hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about you or confided in you. The Corn Stone, to me, had your precious soul encapsulated in it. I treasured it as I treasured you! All the things I wanted to tell you, good and bad were spoken to it in your absence. The more I reflect on it the more I'm not surprised that we were drawn to each other again. Yes! I want to be by your side now and in the future." Kyoko smiled and looked up at Ren/Kuon/Corn with stars in her eyes. "I can't wait to see where our path leads to from here and what we can accomplish together!"

Ren got up and stretched out his hand. "I can't wait either, but for now we have a day to ourselves to catch up and I have some difficult things I have to tell you about me which will take lifetimes to apologize for. You go and take a shower and I'll rustle up some breakfast."

"Um, Ren, you go first I'll make breakfast!" Kyoko insisted with a beaming smile, remembering the god-awful omurice he cooked months ago, and shooed him into the bathroom,. In the kitchen she rummaged around for the utensils and ingredients while shaking her head in amazement and disbelief at the chain of events that had just occurred.

After his shower a stunned Ren found her in La La Land standing in the middle of the kitchen with a spatula paused in mid air…..


End file.
